Headline News Archive

2011

December

27

• A plan for 2012 you’ll actually follow. For 2012, I have a challenge for you: make financial decisions on purpose. Too much of what we do is based on habits and assumptions…

• Airfares with less fine print. Advertisements that make airfares seem enticingly low will soon lose that asterisk pointing to a dense paragraph of additional taxes and fees that make a…

24

• Hidden costs of dental neglect. Four years ago, 12-year old Deamonte Driver died of a toothache. Extreme neglect had led to an abscess that spread to his brain and killed…

23

• Best and worst secured credit cards for 2012. Millions of Americans have suffered financially as a result of the recent credit crunch, and many of them have been left with damaged credit reports.…

• Consumers have more options to reduce energy bills. As winter begins and federal tax credits for home efficiency upgrades end, consumers need not despair: Options to reduce energy bills are expanding. States and…

• Retailers are slashing prices ahead of holiday. Half off at the entire store at Ann Taylor. Sixty percent at Gap. Forty percent off almost everything at Abercrombie & Fitch. Aggressive last-minute deals…

22

• How people shopped online this holiday season. Little time remains for online shoppers to have gifts delivered in time for Christmas, and sales numbers for online shopping this season are arriving. The…

21

• State tax changes on the way in 2012. While the fate of the payroll tax extension is still uncertain on Capitol Hill this week, at least some Americans can look forward to tax…

• Mystery donors paying off layaway accounts for needy. Anonymous "layaway angels" are rescuing Christmas for needy families across the nation. Mystery donors are visiting stores and paying the balance on accounts that allow…

• 3 million could lose jobless pay in impasse. More than three million people stand to lose unemployment insurance benefits in the near future because of an impasse in Congress over how to extend…

20

• No more fees: Company to launch free ATMs. Starting next year, you may be able to visit a non-bank ATM without having to fork over a fistful of dollars in fees. There is…

• Flexible spending account deadline near. In years past, depleting money in your health care flexible spending account before the end of the year was fairly straightforward. You made a midnight…

18

• 529 college savings plans have their downsides. Sherri and Cliff Nitschke thought they were planning wisely for their children's college educations when they opened a 529 savings account in 1998. The Fresno…

17

• Twelve smart ways to spend $1,200 in 2012. Wallets are opening up this holiday season. Some of that spending will be rewarding, but some will lead to a debt hangover in 2012. Pausing…

16

• Car-rental fees need more disclosure. Scott Baggett traveled from California to Hawaii recently. While on the islands, he rented a car from Hertz. Baggett, 38, had thought he'd be paying…

• Design a countdown-to-retirement plan. Retirement can be some of the most rewarding years of your life. Yet many people jeopardize the quality and security of their golden years by…

15

• 7 secrets to super customer service. Even pros are suckers for flattery Front-line phone reps are cursed at, threatened or belittled seven times a day on average, according to researchers at…

• State hopes to break habit of changing car's oil too often. Many automobile owners are spending more than they need on motor oil, believing that it should be changed every 3,000 miles even though almost no…

14

• We are the median: Burdened by student loan debt. With careful budgeting, Sam and Megan Moss are able to get by on their combined salaries of about $50,000 a year. But the couple is…

• Sanity-saving last-minute holiday shopping tips. There are only about 10 days of holiday shopping left. But who's counting? All of the businesses trying to get you to shop and ship…

13

• Firms caught up in identity theft offer little help to victims. Victims of identity theft will tell you: The shock of being defrauded isn't the worst part. What really stings is having to spend days or…

• Steps you take now can boost tax refund. Your tree is trimmed, your gifts are wrapped and your plane ticket home has been booked. Now you just have to figure out how you're…

11

• Ten billionaires on the best advice and opportunities. Stock markets are down. Europe is gyrating. Cash generates minuscule returns. Commodities, especially gold, can soar or tumble in an instant. In these perplexing times,…

• Retired? Here's how to cut your tax bill. As many seniors learn, retirement can be as stressful and as frustrating a time as any when it comes to paying taxes With 401(k)s, traditional…

10

• 12 ways to whittle your 2011 tax bill. Between holiday shopping, parties, concerts and gift wrapping, make room for one more task: whittling down your 2011 tax bill. A number of smart moves…